Marussia team principal John Booth has said that finishing in tenth place in the constructors’ championship was like winning a race to the entire team following a difficult season.

The team secured P10 in the championship in Brazil after nearest rivals Caterham failed to better Jules Bianchi’s thirteenth place finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix back in March. Given that the team has trailed Caterham for the majority of the season, and that their last major upgrade package came at the Spanish Grand Prix back in May, Marussia has done well to stay ahead.

“It’s a massive boost to everybody,” Booth explained to Sky Sports. “It gives us confidence that we are going forward and is a real kick-start for next year.

“Morale is the biggest thing. If you’d seen the reaction of the guys afterwards, it was incredible, like we’d won the bloody race. I’m sure it was the same back in Banbury.”

Booth has now set his sights on making the team a regular presence in the second session of qualifying, having only managed to get into Q2 on one occasion in 2013.

“The next goal is getting into Q2 on a regular basis; that’s what we want to do and what we have to do. We’re less than one per cent off doing that now,” Booth said. “The first step is to improve that one per cent and start getting into Q2 on a regular basis. And then we can start thinking about points.”

With Ferrari replacing Cosworth as the team’s engine supplier in 2014, it will mark a big step forward for the team. The change in the regulations could also give Marussia a chance to get a jump on its rivals next season, but it will still be a big ask for either of the backmarkers to score their first points in Formula One anytime soon.